Clutch rage

[86coupe]

Question for people in the know about clutches

At the end of March I had an exedy heavy duty clutch installed. A place that specialises in clutches did the work as it needed to be done fast before a motorkhana.

The clutch was very aggressive to start with, but eased off after a few days driving. The shop said they would do a free adjustment after 700km, but I've not had time to take it back there. I've done 3000km since it was installed.

On the invoice is listed

Clutch Kit $576
Rear main seal/spigot bearing $69.50
Machine flywheel $66.00
Labour 6.25h $550

So, quite an expensive day out!

The clutch has been working well, but we just pulled the engine out to resolve some major oil leaks and noticed a few things that aroused suspicion.

Firstly, the pressure plate is not the exedy one that should have been supplied with the kit. It is a PBR item with significant wear to the fingers.



The spigot/pilot bearing is crunchy, though moves better if pressed downwards very hard.

Along with other major leaks, the rear main seal is the reason we decided to pull the engine. Its always leaked, but has gotten worse this year. The seal we replaced yesterday was very soft and the edge was worn flat.
There was a slight groove in the surface of the crankshaft that we smoothed out.



The clutch disc itself is definitely a new exedy hd one though so that's ok.

The flywheel is freshly machined.

So, how angry do you think I should get when returning to the shop?

Definitely think a "please explain" is in order - but is there a rational explanation for this?

[rthy]

wtF
the most i ever paid for this was $15

id be giving them a call or visit

[Gunner]

6 hrs to do an 86 clutch?

go back, don't go in there acting all angry, or like your gonna bash em. just sit the clutch spigot and rear main on the bench, with the invoice. Tell them your not happy, if they refuse to work with you in any way, go to fair trading, tell them your plans, and make sure you follow them through.

Workshops really have no leg to stand on when it comes to fair trading, even if they are in the right, the customer usually wins, once fair trading, make contact with them, or their lawyers, most shops will buckle.

[Nikkojoe]

$576 for an exedy hd clutch kit?!?! Should cost 1/3 that to get and it being a pbr would be cheaper again.

The spigot bearing cost about $8 and rear main seal is like $13.50. Even the machining job on the flywheel is expensive too.

[Sam-Q]

if you go to the right bearing place you can get that spigot for $5. I can do this job in around 3 hours if I am taking my time by myself and I am not a very fast worker. The clutch kit is $250 or so is it not?

have you paid yet?

[86coupe]

Yes, unfortunately its paid for. The work was done several months ago when I was younger and stupider. I thought it seemed expensive at the time, but it was the first time I'd had it done and didn't have anything to compare it against.

Started getting very suspicious when we removed the gearbox and found a worn out old bbs pressure plate. So where's the other half of that very expensive clutch kit??

Would a bbs clutch be found in an imported sprinter, or is this just a locally available product? Wondering if its my old pressure plate, or something they had lying around.

The rear main seal was leaking profusely (same as it did before the clutch was replaced) and the spigot bearing is crunchy. Seems hard to believe either were replaced 3000km ago.

Need to get as much info as possible before confronting the workshop.

[redsprinter]

Clutch Kit $576 - SEEMS OK
Rear main seal/spigot bearing $69.50 - GOT JIPPED- SHOULD ONLY BE FROM 5-15 MAX
Machine flywheel $66.00 - SEEMS OK BUT HAVE SEEN CHEAPER
Labour 6.25h $550 - 6HR IS BS SHOULD MAX TAKE HALF THE TIME .

Oh yeah the spigot bearing might be new but might have been install incorrectly and damaging the bearing's casing, hence it being crunchy .. and the pressure plate sounds dogey .. i say do as the above go in and ask them whats the go and see if they will corporate or fair trading their ass.

[shakes]

6hours labour doesnt seem too far from the park. 3hrs x 1 competant mechanic plus 3 hrs for an apprentice to pass him tools/muscles and being charged at a trademans rate.

Sounds like they also charged a full retail mark up on the clutch, main seal and spigot bearing, again expensive but not excessive. maybe learn to haggle a little!

The only dodgy thing seem's like the used pbr pressure plate, which may have been what was already installed in the car, and the new one didn't fit as it should so they re-used it? or the apprentice handed the bloke under the car the old one as thats all he could find? I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation but it was that long ago they probably can't remember any more.

Also from the wear mark on the crank mixed with the crunchy spigot bearing and uneven wear on the pressure plate there could be several other things amiss which again may explain the use of a different pressure plate. Enough to be annoyed about, but you should also learn to ask when you pick up the car if they had any drama's, if they can wiggle the price down etc etc. Either way everything seem's as if they didn't rob you blind. just saw a dumb kid so charged him full price, and didn't explain exactly what went on.

[Mr Awsome]

they would of charged you what the little blue book said it would take.

i went and asked around a few places, even if i supplyed the cluch it was $1000 or more.
but when i told them what car i had or if they saw it out side the work shop, they rolled there eyes. bunch of tossers.

do it ya self or take it to a small garage, there 9 time out of 10 cheaper, willing to haggle and there nicer.

[biggo]

I do clutches at work a fair bit.

Tell you what, we did a pajero clutch. gearbox + transfer weighed 96kg but anyway, the onwer got charged slightly more that what you payed. And that was a $600 trade price clutch kit.

The bbs pressure plate sounds suss, if the invoice says excedy it should be an excedy, go in and see what they have to say for themselves.